1. Field of the Invention
The subject invention generally relates to an encoder for determining position. Specifically, the subject invention relates to an encoder for determining the position of a nanopositioner using giant magnetoresistor (GMR) technology.
2. Description of the Related Art
A number of devices and methods are currently used to determine position in nanopositioner systems. For example, a laser interferometer may be used to measure position. However, an output of a laser interferometer is not perfectly linear, leading to significant errors in the position measurement, on the order of 2 to 5 nanometers.
A two-plate capacitive sensor may also be used to measure position. This type of capacitive sensor uses two plates: a fixed plate and a movable plate. The movable plate is connected to an object being positioned. A capacitance is measured between the two plates to determine the position. When used over a small range, a capacitive sensor provides high linearity with resolutions of 0.1 nanometers. However, capacitive sensors are not best suited for nanopositioning applications over a long range, since the capacitance between the two plates approaches zero as the movable plate moves further and further away from the fixed plate.